


the halloween heartworm

by karass



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Chicago, Attempt at Humor, Babysitting, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Halloween, Humor, M/M, Moving In Together, Slice of Life, Trick or Treating, basically a series of unfortunate events
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:54:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27284500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karass/pseuds/karass
Summary: In Ten’s very modest opinion, Halloween is a night for wine and Tim Burton movies. No where in his plans does it involve babysitting a bunch of nine year olds and a dog. But it’s not like his plans ever work out anyways.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Suh Youngho | Johnny, Dong Si Cheng | WinWin/Nakamoto Yuta, side!
Comments: 4
Kudos: 109





	the halloween heartworm

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! It’s actually been two months since I last updated and I definitely broke my streak of monthly fics but oh well, IB has been kicking my ass for the past while. Anyways, I wrote this really last-minute but I’m so pleased! Despite the multitude of imperfections this era has brought, I can’t deny how happy I am with Johnten’s reunion so please look forward to more in the coming weeks!
> 
> I’m currently wrapping up an art school au centering upon Markhyuck (with Johnten, don’t worry) so look forward to that! Leave a comment if you’d like, reading them really make my day! Hopefully you all have a great Halloween and that you enjoy this fic too!

**Heartworm** is a relationship that you can't get out of your head, something you thought had faded long ago but is somehow still alive and unfinished

☆

“We should get married.”

The statement strikes Ten like a pile of bricks, like a thunderbolt, like anything else of significance. 

“Huh?”

He questions as he quips his head to face Johnny, which really isn’t much, considering how the taller man is right beside him. Perched like a cat on the sofa, eyes still trained at the TV screen, almost amused at the sight of the kids of IT running away from Bill Skarsgard’s (admittedly) rather frightening portrayal of Pennywise. Same old, same old. But what’s changed?

“Well, that’s not what I mean, but like, you should move in.” Johnny hums softly as he lowers down the volume, a classical move Ten supposes, the way he paces out how he’s going to suggest something that Ten will vehemently disagree with. Shifting the Overton window, Johnny likes to say. Ten calls it scaring the shit out of him.

“I have so many questions.” Ten begins, he rests his chin onto his hand before pausing, waiting for a nod or any sign from the other man to continue on with his speech, which he receives not too long after, “First of all, why this all of a sudden? Second of all, why do I have to be the one moving in and not you moving into my place? Third of all, no.” 

If Johnny is hurt, he’s doing a great job not to let it show because for all Ten knows he’s seemingly still entranced in the film. And for a few moments, he doesn’t answer, albeit he still laughs at the especially fucked up parts, for reasons that Ten doesn’t want to know. The thing is, Ten would usually bite his lip and repress his partial anxiety but, right now, he’s simply confused. But unlike Johnny, he makes it a point that his disarray is seen so snatches the remote control and pauses the film. A snapshot of spiders on the screen, nothing too frightening.

“Tell me.” He almost whines. Johnny only smiles.

“Really?”

“Goddamn it, yeah?” Ten rolls his eyes in frustration as his dyed blond hair falls onto his face, shielding his eyes from anything but platinum. He’s too stubborn of course to fix it, but Johnny only chuckles even more as he brushes it away.

“Right now?”

“Right now.” 

“Well, to prove you wrong, this isn’t something that’s all of a sudden, haven’t I been nudging brochures to new apartments during breakfast?” Johnny offers as he points at the stack of glossy paper on the coffee table in front of them, one in particular is labelled clear as day with the writing ‘suitable for young couples’. Ten grimaces. “And have I not been talking about Kun’s place for the past millennia.”

“But you said you wanted me to move in.” 

“You know that’s not the point.” 

Ten sighs, Johnny’s not wrong.

“I’m just saying, don’t you think that it’s about time we start accepting the fact that we’re adults? That we’re not college kids running around campus anymore? I mean, Doyoung and Taeyong are engaged. Kun’s married and he’s got a kid already. And before you sass me, the kid is still his nonetheless no matter how much he complains about him. And for god’s sake, even Jaehyun's dating someone, Jaehyun.” 

“Not everyone’s married okay. Sicheng from work literally has never dated anyone, like ever.”

“Ten.”

“So what are you trying to say, Youngho?” 

Now it’s Johnny’s turn to roll his eyes, he’s never really liked being called his Korean name by anyone but his parents, but of course Ten calls him that, sometimes he wonders why they’re even together.

“I’m saying that we should maybe, you know, get serious? I don’t know how to explain it, but I bet you know what I mean. Ten, we spent the entirety of quarantine together last year, trapped in here.”

And Ten does, it’s not like they haven’t been talking about it for the past while. And admittedly, it’s not like they hadn’t spent the entirety of their time in lockdown wondering what it’d be like to have a home together. By that, Ten isn’t talking about some poorly decorated and semi-furnished apartment in the middle of the city with beer bottles hidden in obscure places, but a place they can call theirs. Where Ten can put up his paintings in the hallways and Johnny can have a whole section of the kitchen for his coffee. Home.

Plus it’s not like Ten hasn’t nudged Johnny in that direction either, after all just the other day, they had just finished an IKEA spree and in every single household set up, Ten had cracked a joke about having a nuclear family. Oh shit, maybe it is his fault? But before he can spiral into his internal crisis, Johnny interrupts him, and with good reason this time.

“Kun offered me, well technically us, to chaperone Chenle and some of his friends over Halloween night for a sleepover at their place.” 

Ten sighs, he knows where this conversation is headed, he knows that Johnny loves kids. And he sort of does, but god, the idea of having a tiny devil running around the house interrupting what little time they have together sounds a bit hellish. So Ten settles, he likes playing the role of the wine uncle to his sister’s children at family reunions. But Ten can’t deny how often Johnny talks about starting their own family (and how his views differ from his own) so he chews on his lip, again.

But even if Ten doesn’t say it out loud, Johnny knows. He always does and Ten hasn’t decided just yet whether he likes this part of his boyfriend or absolutely despises it. “I’m not saying anything, but let’s do it, they’re not technically babies, they’re six and Kun said there’s only gonna be three of them so there’s absolutely nothing to worry about. Nothing.”

“Well, where the fuck is Kun going to be? I mean it’s his house.” 

“Weekend trip with the missus.” Johnny laughs as he reads out loud a text message from their friend causing Ten to groan in disgust. Heteros.

“No more further questions, he has the tendency to overshare sometimes.” Ten says, his nose still scrunched up as his hand fans the air. “You do know Halloween is tomorrow?” 

“Yeah.” Johnny’s a horrible liar.

Ten wants to press pause on this moment and consider everything because, apparently, he read somewhere (probably one of Kun’s old psychology textbooks) that despite how futile and how useless a decision might seem, it will still leave an impact on the future. He’d scoffed when he’d first read the text, there’s no way in hell that buying the wrong type of laundry detergent back in senior year of university had deterred him from getting valedictorian. But as he looks at the idle beam on Johnny’s face as he scrolls through Instagram, double tapping on a picture of Kun and his family, he supposes it’s one of those moments.

Ten knows that there’s always the possibility of regret but he shelves the thought away to the back of his mind.

“You’re packing your own toothbrush.”

☆

So Johnny lied, or perhaps he just hadn’t listened to Kun’s entire monologue during their unofficial weekly coffee date. Because there are seven of them and they are not six, they are nine. The worst age, Ten had whispered to his boyfriend, that cusp between childhood and your teenage years. When you think you’re better than the world and all you want to do is to grow up. And according to the photo album his mother had mailed to Johnny on their birthday month, had coincidentally been the year he had been completely un-photogenic. Seriously, what’s up with all those fedoras and plaid vests?

On the bright side, Ten recognizes two of these kids. One of the shorter ones, the one with the snaggletooth, is practically a constant fixture in the Qian household, someone who’s probably as often of a frequenter as he is within this year. But despite all that, it does not ignore the fact that Huang Renjun is an absolute menace of a child, with his sharp words and fascinating capability to switch between languages and moods. Ten approves of him, but he cannot deny the fact that he is slightly fearful of the boy and the possibility of getting outwitted within the next twelve hours.

The other kid that Ten manages to pick out amongst the batch of seven is Jisung, a coconut haired gangly boy who apparently is slightly younger than the rest, who also happens to be Johnny and Chenle’s common favorite. He’d been confused at first, what could possibly be so interesting about this kid that made Chenle, the comically silent overseer of the bunch so attached. Well as for Johnny, Ten doesn’t try, the man practically has no taste, well except for his taste in men. This being something that Ten can personally vouch for.

“Do you remember all their names?”

It’s Kun, of course, the ever-so alert one of Ten’s very own friend group. The man in question has got his eyebrows all bunched together as he types furiously on his laptop. Last minute work Ten supposes, before a weekend of ‘straight shenanigans.’

“No, but I’ll figure it out.” Ten shrugs passively as he stares at the seven boys bouncing off the walls as they hold slabs of pepperoni pizza and stare onto the television screen, carefully spectating at the Pokemon battle unravelling in front of them with their mouths agape. He’d been like that too, except he’d cave sometimes and watch Barbie with his sister. It wasn’t bad either and judging from the stack of Disney Princess films that he’d seen on the Qian family mantel, he can tell that his best friend is raising Chenle on a healthy diet of old fashion CDs and dismantling the patriarchy.

“Well, I’m done with my report and I’ll leave you to it.” Kun sighs as he shuts off his Macbook and slides it within his laptop case, the top still so smooth and pristine, a complete 180 from the dust worn cover of the battered one Ten owns. Back in university, Ten used to marvel at how he and Kun even became friends, he still does sometimes. “There’s some wine in the cellar, help yourself to some.”

“And yes, even the ones at the bottom, just not the pinot noir from the wedding.” Kun adds before heading to the front door, his suitcase’s wheels barely straining as he walks out the front door. Ten grits his teeth, he wonders if he’s truly all that predictable.

So halloween begins, Ten thinks, as he glances at the porcelain clock that hangs on the kitchen wall. It’s nearing six and he thinks he’s got around five minutes to himself before he subjects himself to the kids for the next twelve hours. He presses his phone’s home button but before he can scroll through Twitter for what seems to be the fifth time that hour alone (It’s not his fault Kun’s ramblings can get boring.) a voice chirps up from behind him. Scratch that, it’s not a chirp, it’s more like a screech.

Behind him is a boy, of course, he’s got moles scattered like stars on his cheeks and honeyed skin. Donghyuck, Ten remembers, recalling the introductions Kun had given not too long ago. Spunky and rambunctious had been the words his best friend had selected to describe him, but Ten knows from the piercing gaze in Donghyuck’s eyes that he is so much more than so.

“Do you like my costume?”

Ten wants to roll his eyes but he can’t of course, Johnny is sending an equally menacing, or an attempt at one at least, that seems to warn him to do anything but respond with a sarcastic retort. 

“You’re a cool, erm, beaver.” Ten suggests, his grip on his phone slipping.

“Kun shu-shu was right, you are blind.” Donghyuck states fondly, propping his Crayon Shin-chan figure on the kitchen island before stepping up and kneeling on the bar stool. “I’m obviously a bear.”

“Right, Kun shu-shu is always right.” Ten nods his head, more so attempts to bend his neck in agreement with the boy. This is already painful. “Did he do your makeup too?” He adds, now Ten knows the last thing he should do is to fan the fire but it’s not like the kid can make out that he’s messing with him. Nine year olds are definitely not that smart.

“Nope, my eomma did, she’s the best.” Donghyuck shakes his head, his hand itching to poke his eyeliner smudged button nose, Ten stops him though, if there’s one thing he can’t bear to look at, it probably is ruined makeup. He’s weak like that. “She can’t cook for shit though, not like Chenle’s dad.” His usage of a cuss word causes Ten to choke on his ice water, this Donghyuck kid might not be that bad after all.

“Step-dad!” The boy in question shouts from the array of sofas in the attached living room, his head is on Johnny’s lap as the older man shuffles his hand through his hair, adjusting the shape of his dolphin shaped fabric helmet conjuncture that his mother had crafted. 

It’s funny, Ten thinks, how often Kun had mentioned how he never wanted to be Chenle’s replacement dad (I’d like to be a dad-figure not his dad, he’d always corrected Ten.) and to see where they are now. Johnny says they’re still getting used to holding a place of permanency in each other’s lives but in Ten’s eyes it’s evident that Kun would go through all the levels of hell in Dante’s Inferno just for Chenle to smile. Crazy how two years can play such a part in their lives.

“Boys, are you done with your pizza?” Johnny calls out to the rest of them, some splayed on the wool rug munching on dry crust while several are sitting politely on the couch. “We better head out now or we won’t get all the good candy.”

And with that six heads peak from the area and rush to collect their plates of crumbs and glasses with the dregs of organic fruit juice (Of course it’s organic, Ten sighs.) before the boy with the cheetah (Jeno? Mark. It’s Mark.) onesie hands them all to Ten to place in the sink. If only he could just chuck them in the dishwasher, that’s what he would’ve done if he were at home right now. But he isn’t and the Qian household has a strict no-dishwasher policy, talk about being an Asian stereotype. 

“Wash your hands first.” Ten barks to the rest of them and they all waddle to the kitchen sink like the penguins at the Shedd Aquarium. It’s a miracle they’re working in unison, Ten supposes it’s the thrill of candy that pushes them to keep moving. Right after the bunch has finished wiping up the ketchup from the corners of their mouths and miscellaneous pepperoni slices on their costumes, they all wander off to the front door. But before they do, some of them make a detour to the glass cabinet in the kitchen to drop their Ipads into the safe within. Strange.

Ten catches the attention of the boy with rabbit ears and taps his shoulder, “Why are you all so, obedient?” He asks, lifting an eyebrow in hesitance.

“You know Mr. Qian.” The boy grins brightly flashing his missing front teeth, (Jaemin! That’s his name!) perhaps a bit too wide for Ten’s liking, “Wait ‘till we leave the house Mr. Lee, then you’ll see.”

☆

Ten quickly learns that the boys have a plan. One to hit up all the more luxurious houses up the street before heading to the ‘normie’ houses on the streets on the other end. Ten frowns from behind the rest of them, arms crossed tightly. Back when he was a kid he would’ve been glad for a Twix bar but these fuckers are aiming to get away with blocks of Ghirardelli. At least Johnny’s having a blast, he’s leading the bunch of nine year olds down the blocks and accompanying them to the doorsteps of white elderly folk while Ten slouches on a tree a bit further away.

“Trick or treat!” The boys would chant out at the front door before striking a funny little pose in their animal themed costumes that they’d coordinated months ahead. Ten cringes slightly and so does Johnny, but at least they’re having fun, and they’re sharing their loot with him.

So far, it’s alright. Ten hums to himself. Except for that small mishap wherein Jisung thought he’d dropped his mini Mars bars down the block, he thinks it’s going alright. Johnny’s even picked up Mark (Cheetah boy is named Mark!) and placed him on his shoulders much to the younger boy’s embarrassment and the others’ muted laughter. Right now the sun’s beginning to set and Ten feels his lips part and curve upwards at the sight of the deep indigo melting bridging together with a voyage of citrus. It’s perfect really, he laments to himself as he remembers he’d left all his art supplies at his own apartment. Untouched. 

“Uncle Ten! This man’s calling for you.” Chenle shouts, disturbing Ten’s train of thought. Thank god. 

As Ten faces to look at the younger boy, he spots a familiar figure. A tall, not quite Johnny tall but tall enough, man with slicked back dark hair and a Vampiric cape on their back. Jaehyun. It’s rather evident, considering the man’s striking features and the unnecessary amount of selfies he’d received that afternoon asking whether he’d look alright enough (Which, of course he did, he’s Jaehyun Jung.) for the Halloween party he was going to attend. But what he did not expect is the miniature beagle who’s leash his friend is gripping onto.

“What the fuck is going on?” Ten breathes out as he jogs closer to the two of them, Chenle lifts an eyebrow at his statement but before Ten realizes the detrimentality of his words, Jaehyun thrusts the leash to his hands. “What the hell Jung? I hate dogs.”

“I have to go to the party right now and Leah couldn’t get her dog sitter to come by her place on time, so could you do me a massive favor and take care of Bella for the night? I’ll pick her up in the morning.” Jaehyun pants out, the man in question out of breath, an oddity considering how often he hits the gym to voluntarily run (Voluntarily! Imagine that.) and work out.

“I thought Bella was the name of your girlfriend? Or was that the previous one?” Ten giggles as he examines the dog and the other kids laugh. In a way, the dog’s not that large nor is it seemingly a nuisance. It should be fine.

“Ten.” Jaehyun warns unwaveringly, as he pinches Chenle’s cheek jokingly causing the boy in question to yelp in laughter even louder. “I’ll owe you one.” 

“Alright, alright.” Ten answers with a smirk, “Do I have to feed it anything?”

“Nah, Bella already fed it before she left.”

“Bella?”

“Goddamn it Ten! I meant Leah.” Jaehyun corrects himself, he’s getting frustrated himself and it seems like the rest of the kids aren’t even interested in fetching more candy and instead are more immersed in the ensuing drama between the two men. “So I’ll pick her up at, let’s say, nine? Tomorrow at your apartment?” He offers, smoothing the collar of his creme colored silk shirt.

“Erm, I’m actually staying at Kun’s place, babysitting Chenle and his friends with Johnny.” So maybe there’s a reason why Ten’s reluctancy had come so early. If there’s a combination not to cross, it’s Kun Qian and a messy home. 

“Fuck, what should I do?” If Johnny thinks that Ten’s reckless with kids, wait ‘til he hears the language his best friend is spewing at this moment. 

“Pay for my lunch for a week and I’ll clean up any mess the dog makes.” 

“Fuck you.” The younger man breathes, he’s got a look of disgust on his face that only makes him look slightly disgruntled. This shit’s totally unfair.

“Three days, but good stuff like that not-one dollar pizza near the school.” Ten suggests, referring to their workplace, a public elementary school where he taught art and Jaehyun, English literature. Cliche really, a tale of clueless university graduates shifting around jobs before settling for yet another mediocre venture. 

“Deal, just don’t place the dog near the laundry machine, it goes crazy.” Jaehyun informs Ten before dashing into one of the elegant homes in the area they’re in, a mystery considering no one their age could afford a place in this area and it’s certainly not his friend’s place. Ten tries not to question it, tugging on Bella’s leash prudently as he tries not to think about Jaehyun and his conquest in finding a rich partner away.

The dog’s friendly enough and after two houses, Mark garners the courage to ask Ten whether or not he could borrow the leash and walk Bella. Ten nods, letting him run off with it, not thinking too much of it. For half an hour, the boys seemingly let each other walk the dog as they knock house to house, whereupon the sight of their furry onesies and the beagle pup they’re dragging about, they’re met with gushing grandmas and extra eclairs.

They even manage to walk to the houses further from the block where Chenle lives, and although they don’t get bourgeois chocolate hearts or anything, they seem to be pleased enough, waving their mini Snickers bar in the air as they run down the driveway. Ten even manages a smile when Jeno tells him that one of the ladies down the street had offered them Raisinets, the audacity! They’d also been his least favorite as a kid. And for a moment, Johnny looks back and grins at him brightly from afar, Ten’s confused and he wants to ask something but before he can, he’s met with a shriek.

A Donghyuck-esque shriek to be precise. It’s a bit darker now, the sky turning a shade of mulberry wine as apricot exits the picture, causing Ten to take a minute too long to search for the bear pajama clad boy. But when he does, everyone else is dispersed. Some of the boys are peeking over bushes and even Johnny’s holding Donghyuck’s hand as they walk down the street, the latter’s face soaked in tears for some apparent reason.

“What’s going on?” Ten asks Johnny, so much has happened within the span of the past while he's practically lost, “Did something happen?”

“Donghyuck lost grip of Bella and the dog dashed off to infinity.” Johnny explains hurriedly as they jog down the road, a drop of sweat on his forehead that he refuses to wipe off only irks Ten more, “The other boys are looking in the bushes, can you supervise them or something?”

“Yeah, yeah, totally.” 

A part of Ten frowns, should he have supervised the rest of them a bit more? But then again, Johnny was right there. 

Fortunately for all of them, the search doesn’t take that long. However the fifteen minute time frame where the thought of being eaten alive by Jaehyun Jung did involve Ten having to jump over white picket fences and the threat of the cops being called on him. Which was frightening to say the least. Finding Bella on the other hand had not been too difficult anyways, however it did lead to another disaster. Perfect really.

“Ow! That hurts.” Of course, Renjun, the devil’s child. From where Ten stands, half floating above the pickets of some random wealthy family, he sees the boy on the pavement, his hoodie with sandstone orange fox ear cutouts fallen flat on his back, and his left pant rolled up. A faux plastic jack-o-lantern with candy spilling out is splayed on the asphalt beside him. And of course, the damned beagle on his lap, sitting like an emperor on a throne. 

“Renjunnie! Are you alright?” and a myriad of other questions of concern come fluttering by as everyone crowds to the younger boy. Upon further examination, Ten notices flecks of skin peeling from the boy’s knee and a pool of dark red tinting his peach flesh. It doesn’t look too serious, but it’s probably best to patch it up in the bathroom for now. 

“Do you think you can stand up Renjun?” Ten inquires slowly, he’d remembered from the sparse training he’d receive at the school to be patient whenever a kid’s hurt, and despite it never having been useful in class, it seems to be right now. “If you can’t, Johnny over here, is going to lift you up. Is that okay?”

Renjun nods his head fervently, he seems to be light-headed considering how he only manages to also raise his thumbs up before Johnny lifts him up in his arms like a mere feather. The other boys look up with eyes wide as plates, they seem to be bright enough to deduce that it’s time to head back. Mark, whom Ten has deduced to be the leader of the group, musters a grin and tells them that there’s always time to count the candy and divide them up once back at the house. And with that, Ten’s saved once again from having to beg the rest of them to return to the ‘home base’ as they call it.

“Ten.” Jisung says, his eyes lighting up as they’re closing up on the warm exterior of the Qian house. “Do you know Renjun’s otosan’s number?”

☆

Ten thinks it’s mild to say that he’s frothing in the mouth as he waits for Kun to pick up. His hands are wiping off the blood that’s accumulated on Renjun’s leg as Johnny picks apart the bathroom for cotton swabs, bandaids and antibiotics. At least the boy’s half awake right now and is sitting patiently on the toilet seat, Ten tells himself as he stares holes into his phone, stagnant on the sink counter.

According to Jaemin and Donghyuck’s hurried explanations, they’ve concluded that Renjun had thrown himself to the ground to tackle the dog but in the way, he’d scraped his elbows and hit his knees on the concrete. Which the boy in question had only agreed with via solemn nods and soft ‘yes’ and ‘no’s. 

“At least the rest of the boys are fine right?” Ten offers half-heartedly as Johnny hands him a cotton bud dunked in Neosporin, “Please tell me they’re fine.” 

“They’re alright.” Johnny smiles back in response, he’s tired and despite how much fun he’s had for the past few hours, Ten can tell that all he wants to do is crawl into bed and sink his head into a stack of pillows. Ten supposes he would want the same if he’d carried two nine year olds within a few hours, on his own accord at that.

But before Ten can answer, his phone stops ringing.

“What did you do wrong Chittaphon?

“Damn it Kun, why couldn’t you just assume that I was-“

“Ten.” The older man warns, feminine laughter falls through from the other end and Johnny only clutches his mouth. No help at all, of course.

“Okay so I kind of have to call Renjun’s parents.” He begins, voice soft and vague.

“What happened this time?” Surprisingly, Kun’s pretty collected and for some reason, it’s not comforting Ten in the most trivial way possible.

“He fell on the ground, erm, chasing Jeno.” Ten answers, technically he isn’t wrong, Jeno had been dressed as a Samoyed. Close enough.

“Well thankfully, Renjun’s parents are probably the most lax amongst the rest of them, so I’ll just message Yuta later on, don’t worry too much.” 

Ten’s heart rate flattens a bit upon hearing it and so does Johnny, who visibly sighs in relief upon hearing Kun’s announcement.

“Ah alright then, that’s great to hear.” Ten nods thoughtfully as he unwraps a bandaid and hands it to Renjun, who’s already begun functioning pretty normally as he offers a discussion with Johnny about whether or not aliens were real or not. (“I wanted to go as aliens but the rest were so adamant about animals ‘cause they’d get the most empathy from old white people and more candy.” “Can’t deny that that’s a smart idea though.” “It really is.”) 

“Anything else?”

“Well, do you have a dog bed?”

“Yeah, in the Harry Potter cupboards, Taeil left his cat bed thing one time which should be close enough, now why are you-“

“Gotta go, bye! Love ya Kun!” Ten shouts before ending the call, he’d have to explain the whole Jaehyun Bella fiasco tomorrow afternoon over Chardonnay. 

Now that Renjun’s all patched up and changed, he jogs over to Chenle’s bedroom where the rest of them are sitting in a circle. The main lamp is dimmed but with the concerning amount of fairy lights that are hung around the room and the ocean of sweets between them, it feels more like a gathering of fairies than seven boys discussing their collection of candy. 

“So! How’s it going to go down?” Jaemin offers with a wink, there’s a twinkle in his eyes that seems to blind the rest of them. What a flirt. Ten snorts from his spot by the door.

“Well, so according to our prior meetings and discussions-“

“Yah, Mark Lee, quit using fancy words and let’s just call out the divisions.” Donghyuck interrupts abruptly, seemingly already sleepy after having yawned for the fifth time in a row. “All I’m saying is I want all the caramel-y shit.”

“Donghyuck!” Jeno frowns prudently, “You know you shouldn’t say that.”

“Who cares?” Chenle chuckles proudly, hugging his sea animal themed pajama clad legs to his body, “There’s no adults here.”

“Uncle Ten is right there.” Jisung, the snitch. So perhaps that’s why Chenle loves him.

The rest of the boys jump in surprise, and Ten almost wants to laugh at himself as he allows himself in the room. It’s changed a bit since the last time he’d visited, the posters of Ben 10 have been replaced by Ash Ketchum and his Poke-entourage. Trophies from miscellaneous singing competitions are lined across a shelving unit as well as picture frames of the Qian family unit, professionally taken of course. It’s a bit strange really, seeing Chenle grow so much in the past few years.

“So, how’s the collection this fine Halloween?” Ten asks as Mark and Renjun make space between the two of them for him to sit down. 

“It’s alright, less candy corn this year but more of that weird grandma cough drops though.” Mark answers, acting as representative as he pulls out his shooting star covered notebook from his black Jansport. He scratches his head as he flips to a page in the book, he frowns a bit before showing it to the rest of the crew. Ten stares, although he’s used to the chicken scrawl that most nine year old boys have, he still can’t help that he’s practically blind without his glasses.

“What does it say?”

“Gosh Mark, your handwriting is so ugly, Uncle Ten can’t even read it!” Renjun laughs, burning the momentary silence between them, causing everyone else to burst into laughter as Mark’s cheeks turn a shade of light rouge.

“Basically, it just shows how we’re going to ration the candy.” Jeno explains briefly to Ten’s delight. It’s entertaining really, to see these kids speak freely amongst themselves as they divide up their treasure amongst themselves, it’s certainly something different from the misadventures Ten has to deal with at work where kids seem to be held back by some force from speaking their mind. Fuck the American public school system, that’s all.

After fifteen minutes of bartering and arguing, they all pack up their share into their individual pumpkins before pushing the unwanted sweets to the center. 

“What’s going to happen to these?” Ten questions as he pops a Smartie in his mouth, one he’d found abandoned behind Chenle’s back, something they’d all forgotten and dared not to question.

“Parent protection.” They all respond in unison, a shared look of mischief in their faces.

“And how am I supposed to know what that means?” Ten asks in disorientation, causing some of them to erupt into more snickers. 

“Basically we just give them to our parents when we want something, think of it as good points.” Chenle explains, still lost in his fit of laughter. “Really smart honestly, it always works.”

Ten only smiles, they’re so naive. He remembers that one day Kun had come to his work for the district’s monthly evaluation, and how he’d pull out a goopy tangerine-scented mess from his stellar white doctor’s coat. He’d asked what it was and Kun had only responded with Chenle. Ten finds it funny that he’s come full circle.

“By the way, Uncle-“

“Just call me Ten, uncle makes me feel old and I’m not even married.” 

“Okay, Ten, did you call one of my dads yet?” Renjun asks, stressing on Ten’s name, as he slouches on one of Chenle’s bunk beds. Why there were more than one when he was an only son is pretty strange but Ten never really asked.

“Nope, I told Chenle’s baba that you fell and he said that he’d message him.” Ten nods, before returning to re-evaluate Renjun’s statement, “You have two dads?” He asks in surprise.

“Don’t tell me you’re homophobic, Ten.” Donghyuck feigns shock from his spot on the dotted sea blue carpet. 

“Donghyuck, I’m gay.”

And on that note, the boys returned to their symphony of amusement. In a way, Ten feels obliged to join in so he does as he listens to Renjun ramble about his overbearing otosan and his other, more relaxed baba. But before Jisung could drag him into playing a game of Monopoly, Ten remembers Kun’s golden rule of brushing your teeth before nine and jumps out of his seat beside Renjun.

“Alright, it’s almost bedtime, does anyone want hot cocoa or anything?” 

Upon the offer of late night sugar, the seven boys jolt down the staircase and head to the kitchen. Fearing that something might be split or broken, Ten chases after them hurriedly, leaving a slipper behind on the foot of the door. 

The kitchen’s quiet and Johnny’s probably still washing up in the shower down the hallway so Ten tries his very best to usher them to sit down on the bar stools opposite the kitchen counter as he whips up the drinks using his minimal cooking skills. He listens in as he heats up a liter (He’s learned the hard way that boys, no matter their age, consume more than they claim to) of almond milk, of course, on the stove. Ten listens to the boys recount their meetings with their classmates and even some dubious encounters with vicious neighbors. 

Despite being a teacher himself, it’s not very often that he hears genuine conversations between kids, without having to filter out what they have to say and what they can’t. In a way, it’s the first time he’s felt that he’s transported to his childhood in a while. And after his messy instant cocoa powder pouring skills are tested, Ten manages to hand out seven mugs of not-too perfect drinks to the boys. 

It’s entertaining really, as they watch another film, some Disney-plus featurette that Ten hasn’t seen before. Johnny even joins in after a detour to the kitchen, his hair soaking wet as Ten readjusts the towel on his shoulders. And after the film ends, and some minor bickering, they manage to convince the boys to brush their teeth and head back to Chenle’s room for a final round of spooky stories before lights out.

Ten frowns as Johnny insists that he tell the story, allowing him to get a break for a while. He wants to argue but remembers the pile of report cards that he’s yet to fill in, so he takes a seat on the kitchen island before pulling out a glass of wine and his laptop reminding himself that this is the final batch to submit.

“Hey, are you done?” Johnny asks, how long had it been? Ten swears it’s just been a second but upon looking back at the porcelain clock, it’s already fifteen minutes to eleven. “You look like shit, no offense babe.” 

“None taken, and I’ve still got a few more left.” Ten shrugs as he presses send to the email he’d been pondering on for the past half an hour. Well that’s one, he’s still got several unfinished drafts open on his current Safari tab.

“So, what do you think of the past five hours?” Johnny asks, he’s got that cheesy smile on his face that Ten just wants to wipe off but he’s way too lazy to so he merely slides over his glass of unfinished wine, an oddity, he hums to himself.

“Tiring, depressing and strangely, enough kind of fun. Except for the dog thing.” Ten laughs in response as he takes back the glass of wine much to Johnny’s amusement, “Shit! The dog! Where is it? Why did I have to take in the damn dog from Jung? Why’d fucking Donghyuck have to-” He asks suddenly, leaping from his seat in panic. Panic, that’s all he can feel.

“Relax, I already took Bella out for her nightly crap, and she’s now in the laundry room sleeping, I checked.” Johnny frowns, he’s not upset but Ten can tell that he’s slightly disheartened, “I’m kind of tired, I’m going to sleep first. Don’t stay up too late.”

Ten feels his heart sink, it’s an ugly feeling but he can’t help but feel like he’s disappointed Johnny for some god forsaken reason. But judging from the three opened email drafts he’s got on his Macbook, he pushes his worries away, he can think about them tomorrow, for now he’s got this mammoth of a mess to waste his night on.

☆

Strangely enough, Ten gets out of bed earlier than Johnny and the rest of the temporary inhabitants of the Qian household. A miracle by all means, considering how he’s veering away from his initial plans to order takeout from the Waffle House and that he’s trying to make some kimchi fried rice with whatever’s in the fridge.

It doesn’t turn out half-bad, Ten tells himself as everyone else eats it up without complaint. Albeit, they’re all half-awake and barely functioning, with Renjun falling asleep onto his bowl twice throughout the meal and Jeno having to poke him with his chopstick more than many times before the former would wake up.

“So how is it guys?” Ten questions masking his disarray as he scrubs the wok with a sponge, stubborn specks of spring onion still remaining on its sides as he scrubs harder, “Keyword, I tried, I can’t cook for the life of me.” 

“It’s alright.” Donghyuck nods as he takes another wide spoonful before pushing his bowl to Mark, who gladly accepts it. “Jaemin’s mom makes the best ones though, seriously, you gotta try it.”

The other boys nod in agreement causing Jaemin to burn with pride, promising to bring a Tupperware next time he comes around. Ten bites his lip, funny how these boys assume there will be a next time considering how Kun will probably ban him from entering his household upon his realization that he’d let a dog in the premises without his permission. Speaking of which, where is the dog and where is Jaehyun?

Ten’s eyes light up as he dashes to the laundry room, begging that Bella hadn’t set off any alarms or worse, any of the dryers. But what he finds in the room is something worse. Shit. Literal shit paints the floor of the room with an unbearable stench and a mess that Ten’s not quite sure how he’s going to clean up. The dog runs out as Ten curls up into a ball near the frame of the door, he’s done for, he’s going to actually get prohibited from entering his best friend’s house. He should’ve listened to Jaehyun.

“No shit.” Mark mutters from beside him, somehow the rest of them have all reached the laundry room and are witnessing the mess within.

“Lord.” Johnny absent-mindedly exclaims as he grabs a roll of tissue paper and thrusts it to Ten, “How about you guys wash up your dishes while Ten and I here clean up this mess? That sound good?” 

Of course, Johnny’s going to come through with his perfect husbandry and household management skills. 

The cleanup is silent, Ten wiping up the mess while Johnny mops up the cleared spots with lavender Fabuloso. Even though it isn’t necessarily Ten’s fault, he still considers himself guilty, with what the remnants of last night’s events. On any normal day, he’d ask, he’d initiate a conversation, and although it’d usually end with an argument and something more, it’d end. But right now, Ten feels small, maybe they shouldn’t have taken on Kun’s proposition after all. Being good with kids at work is one thing, but being an actual dad at home with kids is another. And for some reason, Ten can’t help but feel his gut churn as he thinks of all the possible ways Johnny thinks of him now. For one, irresponsible is definitely on that list.

“Are you really not going to say anything?” 

“Huh?”

“Well, you’ve been strangely silent.” Johnny offers as he squirts more of the wisteria liquid on the ground, “The Ten I know argues at every given point.”

“Not funny.” 

“You think I’m upset with you.”

“Aren’t you?” Ten guffaws, as he puts his wrists to his hips, not hands, not when they’re covered in dog crap. 

“No, I’m just disappointed, that’s all.” 

“Johnny, you know I don’t want kids, like at all.” Ten frowns, he seriously does not want to have this conversation all over again, not when there are actual kids brushing their teeth and changing in the bathroom upstairs.

“It’s not that, definitely not that.” Johnny scoffs pointedly, dropping the bottle of cleaning soap on the ground, “Fuck.” He curses as Ten reaches out to grab it, which as cliche as it sounds, coincides with him bending down to pick it up. But the moment doesn’t seem too K-drama-esque considering the circumstances they’re in.

“Then what is it?”

“It’s just, you’re so damn stubborn that whenever you try out something new, and something goes wrong, you just, freak out and give up.” 

But before any of them have the chance to refute, the doorbell rings.

☆

“Sicheng?”

To be fair, the last person that Ten expected to come across today is his coworker.

“Ten? Wait, you’re Kun’s friend that’s staying over?” Sicheng seems to be equally as taken aback as he takes off his shoes and enters the house.

“Wait, you’re married? And you have a kid? Here?” Ten shakes his head in disbelief, baby-faced Sicheng, who looks like a fresh college-graduate, the one who all the students crush on, a dad? Not that Ten’s judgemental or anything, but this certainly isn’t a surprise he’d been expecting today.

“Yeah, my husband’s parking the car, he’ll be here in a bit. Renjun! Come here!” He nods cautiously before calling out to his son in Chinese, “Family lunch, so we really got to rush, I’m so sorry.” Sicheng adds chastely.

“Back up, how did I not know that you’re a whole-ass dad?” Ten whispers in amazement as he flings the crap soaked tissue papers into the trash can in the kitchen before making his way to the sink to wash his hands, “God, I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone.” 

“Well, I don’t make it a point to tell everyone.” Sicheng responds, cheeks flushing pink as he sits by the kitchen island, “I get enough stares at Renjun’s PTA meetings from the other parents. Especially the Karens, you don’t have to ask.” 

Ten fills a cup with water from the dispenser by the fridge, gulping the cold liquid as he tries to process this information. 

“So.. how’d you acquire Renjun?”

“Well that’s an odd way to say it.” Sicheng sneers airily, he’s not upset but he’s certainly entertained by Ten’s ambience.

“You know what I mean! Like is he your biological son or did you adopt him or..?”  
Ten contravenes, it being his turn to flush, “God, I feel dumb as fuck for not knowing how to word this out.” 

“Oh, we adopted him halfway through last year. And before you ask, I’ve been married two years and the only reason I did not invite you to my wedding was because it was a family only thing during Christmas.” 

Is Ten really all that predictable?

“Renjun! Get down here, it’s obaasan’s birthday today! I let you stay over but I told you, you have to have lunch with her.” Sicheng calls out to the stairway in which a clatter of footsteps can be heard as the seven boys clamber down together. A mess of colorful graphic shirts and jean shorts.

“No offense, but you’re literally a year younger than me, how’d you know you were ready to commit to all that?” Ten questions, nodding to the seven boys who are on the ground tackling one another. At that moment, a man with a bun on his head walks in, flannel tied on his waist, Johnny greets him and they head to the terrace. Yuta.

“I get that a lot.”

“Of course you do, you’re twenty-three and you have a nine year old son.”

“Well if you put it that way.” Sicheng rolls his eyes before flicking at Ten’s forehead, it feels strange in a way, to be so close to someone but so clueless about their life beyond work, “I was a foster kid myself and I knew what it felt like to drift around the system so I’ve always kind of known I wanted to adopt, an older kid at that.” 

“And what about-“

“Yuta?” Sicheng offers, as he takes the glass of water from Ten’s grasp and brings it to his lips, “He’s always wanted kids and he probably loves Renjun more than I do so it all worked out in the end.” 

Huh. Ten scrunches his eyebrows together, from the way Sicheng phrases it out it seems so easy but parenthood tastes foreign and distasteful on his own tongue.

“It’s not for everyone of course.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know, being a parent, at my age or at any.” Sicheng shrugs abysmally before setting the glass on the counter, “No one has to have everything figured out right now, god I don’t have a clue what I’m doing sometimes, but it works out, we learn and so does Renjun.” 

Looking at the person he was a week ago, Ten wouldn’t have fathomed receiving parenting advice from Sicheng, someone who he had assumed was straight and single. But a lot has happened in the past 24 hours so he really can’t argue.

“Hey, I’ve got to go. Yuta’s mom can get a bit much.” Sicheng mutters upon glancing at his watch, he stands up and calls for Renjun before walking to the front door. Eyebags as prominent as ever but before he leaves he smiles at Ten, “Good luck.”

“How’d you-“

“You’re really transparent Ten, we all know when you’re going through something.”

And with Sicheng’s final words, Ten sinks further into the sofa, Bella leaping onto his lap much to his annoyance. The other six boys are out on the lawn running around playing some silly game that he can’t be bothered to supervise considering how Johnny’s already outside. Instead, he flicks on the television to watch something, anything is better than the mess he had to clean up. 

“Ten.”

It’s Jisung Park, the youngest of the bunch and probably the most silent of them all. Ten feels his heart race as he mutes the news program he’s turned on, what’s he doing here when he could be playing Tag outside.

“Is there anything wrong?”

“Well, I actually lost Bella yesterday.”

Ten turns his head to fully face Jisung, the boy's feet are pointed inwards as he looks to the ground, ears vermillion and hands stuffed inside the pockets of his blue jeans. 

“Didn’t Donghyuck lose the dog?” Ten asks, confused as he lifts Bella from his lap, letting the pup run off into the yard with the rest of the boy, and scoots to the other end of the couch, allowing Jisung space to sit down. “I swear, he was the one crying-“

“You do know he’s a theater kid right?” Jisung informs him meekly, but even Ten can tell he’s trying to succumb to his laughter. 

“That explains a lot.” 

“Hey! I heard that!” The boy in question shouts from the front yard, voice tinged with annoyance and perhaps a hint of indignation. 

“So, why are you telling me this?” Ten asks as he holds Jisung’s hands, from what he notices, they’re almost the size of his and even the hamster looking boy notices that, considering how he’s almost smiling. Crescents appear in place of his eyes as the corners of his lips point to the ceiling.

“I heard you and Johnny arguing last night and I heard you blame Donghyuck.” 

Shit. shit. shit. 

“Oh.” Ten snaps as he tries to shield his surprise, “We weren’t arguing Jisung but I’m sorry you had to hear that.” The last thing he wanted was for one of these kids to blab onto their parents about his relationship problems, this was not how expected Halloween weekend to proceed.

“It’s okay, my parents argue too.” Jisung informs him nonchalantly as he wanders to the kitchen in search of something to eat, hands gliding through the cabinets of the house as if he were acquainted with it to its fullest extent. 

“Well, they’re alright though right?” Ten suggests, hoping to veer the conversation away from himself. 

“They’re getting divorced.”

“I’m so-“

“Sorry? No thank you.”

“Damnit kid, let me finish.” Ten whines, he really cannot take another blow right now, not from a nine year old at least. Not even when he’s getting smacked with the divorce card on his face. Okay, maybe that’s a bit harsh.

“Ten, I know what you’re going to say.” Jisung frowns, arms crossed as he pauses his search for snacks, “Adults say it all the time, you should know, you’re a teacher.”

So how much did this kid know about Ten? Considering how much he’s let out in the past few minutes, Ten curses Kun and Chenle (and himself) for having their lives too intertwined for his liking. 

“Then what do you want me to say?”

“Nothing.” Jisung shrugs as he pulls out a box of saltines, the fancy ones you’d get at Whole Greens and definitely not the ones from the Seven-Eleven at the gas station. Afterall, it’s the Qian house. “I just wanted to tell you that I lost Bella and I told Hyuck to cover for me because I didn’t want to get into any trouble. I felt guilty.”

Ten can’t help but sigh at that as he walks over to the cabinets where Jisung is standing and helps him open a pack of crackers. 

“I really appreciate you being honest with me and I’m really sorry you had to hear me get upset.” Ten begins, apologizing to kids is difficult, especially when they take everything for granted, but he knows it’s important. To admit that you’re wrong takes a lot of courage and we all know that it takes two to tango.

“Really?”

“Really.” Ten nods reassuringly as he pops a saltine in his mouth, it’s disgusting, it tastes like cardboard without all the artificial flavorings and MSG, but he swallows it anyways. He’s not about to spit a cracker out in front of a child. “Is there anything else you want to tell me?” 

“You know it’s okay if you, ‘argue’, with Johnny right?” Jisung sniffs as he nibbles on the edge of the plain biscuit.

“Why so?” Curiosity gets the best of us and not even Ten’s prone to deflecting it.

“You guys listen to each other.” 

Huh. 

“I mean, you guys still talk to each other right?” Jisung questions, he’s got an eyebrow raised as he leans his left elbow on the kitchen counter. “You listen to what he says and you do too right?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Then you guys are good, healthy debaters, that’s what Mrs. Fletcher says in debate at least.” 

Ten snickers, loud and out of pocket, because sure he hadn’t expected to receive relationship reassurance from a nine year old boy nor from a presumably middle aged English teacher but, desperate times call for desperate measures he supposes. It’s funny how we find comfort in the strangest of moments. 

“That’s-“

To say that Ten did not wholly expect Jisung to hug him would be a lie, as in all good things are, they're served best unexpectedly. The hug is not warm or cozy or any of the fluffy adjectives that Ten is used to but it’s comforting nonetheless, because the boy means it. It’s strange, Ten tells himself, as he kneels down to reciprocate the hug to him, fully embracing the boy.

“Now why did you hug me?” Ten asks as Jisung leans his head onto his shoulder, yawning after a moment, “I’ve never seen you hug Kun before.”

“You look like you need it.”

“No shit kid.”

☆

“Are you okay?” Johnny asks, voice almost meek as they arrive at his place, “I’m sorry I shouted at you.”

It’s almost too story book really, to receive so many resounding lessons by the end of this all. Ten tells himself, but is he really one to deny good advice? Because Ten does continue to think of both Jisung and Sicheng’s resounding statements on love and life, that’s all he thinks about as Jaehyun picks up Bella with his supermodel girlfriend; Ten swears she’s a different person from the last one he met but before he gets the chance to ask, another car’s arrived to pick up their child. He even thinks about it as Kun chastises him for bringing in a dog without permission into his household (Poopgate has yet to be revealed) and during his drive back to Johnny’s apartment.

“Yeah it’s fine, just taken aback that, Sicheng’s actually married and has a kid.” Ten breathes out as he falls onto the couch. 

“To be fair, that was a shock.” Johnny jokes as he takes a seat beside Ten, lifting his legs to make space. “You know, you don’t have to move in if you don’t want to.”

“I do want to move in though.” 

There’s truth in Sicheng’s words, maybe things don’t have to be so complicated, maybe he doesn’t have to astral project five years into the future before making decisions. Perhaps he doesn’t have to second guess himself before ordering that extra mozzarella stick for lunch. Feasibly speaking, he should put himself out there, back like when he was in uni. He’d been different then, uni Ten still took risks. But life happens and Ten has to remind himself that he is only twenty four. He’s definitely got a lot more halloweens to go through before life takes him out. 

“You do?” Johnny lifts an eyebrow, unsure what to make of his boyfriend’s sudden words.

“Yeah, I do.” Ten beams, he’s tired too but he tries, “I’ve always wanted to, it’s just with all the choices we have to make and the paths our lives are taking, it’s hard to say that I’m ready to take root.” 

“Johnny, I know it’s you. I just never thought that I’d have to make decisions right now to declare that, but, then again, I’ve kind of been pushing this aside for a bit too long haven’t I?” 

“Kind of, I’m pretty sure cobwebs are accumulating under your bed posts as we speak.” Johnny laughs, he’s got tears in his eyes but for once Ten can’t tell why they’re there so he only wipes them away with his thumb. 

“Dick.”

“You love me though.” 

“I tolerate you, Suh, I tolerate you.” Ten insists bitterly as he leans his back on to Johnny, hands burrowing in his maroon sweater, sweater paws, of course.

But they both know that’s not what they mean of course because love, love is never a permanent fixture. 

“So you’ll still tolerate me even when I tell you I want to open a cafe one day?” Johnny suggests, purposely pressing on Ten’s buttons as he leans his head onto his boyfriend’s.

“As long as I can name it.”

Love is a compromise, a constant plight to meet in the middle. 

“Deal, you can even put up your pretentious paintings there.”

“You promise?”

“Promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/ODETO10) and [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/user/gymewm6sqkr42wxfdibu8612e?si=pY85msJ-T6m5IpJJ-AO8kw)
> 
> *P.S - I’m not sure if I made it evident in the fic itself but this can definitely be interpreted as a prequel to [kintsugi](%E2%80%9C) so there’s that to think about!


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